Tsukishima's Neighbour
by makkakaus
Summary: A series of one-shots in non-chronological order featuring Shukuro Tsukishima, the new maybe-villain from Bleach, and an OC who is, obviously, his neighbour. Drabbles, romance, friendship, randomness. OCs, AUs, crossovers.
1. Kiss

**Kiss.**

Shiki Sougi

It had been a week since she had moved in with Tsukishima. He didn't go out often, usually just for a quick morning walk and usually stayed inside, reading. The only other times he left the house were to buy groceries (Which had diminished when Shiki began to share shopping duties with him) and to accompany her on one of her whims.

Which was another thing she found interesting. Tsukishima didn't seem like the kind of person who was extremely protective or even caring, but almost every time she wanted to leave the apartment after dinner he would simply put on his coat (he'd leave it if it was particularly hot that day) and walk to the door with her.

He was a man of few words who seemed to only notice what was going on in his book, but Shiki knew that he was in fact very aware of his surroundings. What had happened a few days ago was plenty proof.

. . .

"Agh! Why won't it go in?" Shiki groaned. Great.

Earlier that day she had gotten back a science test with a 45% scrawled on the top.

Then in gym they had been forced to play basketball. One of her shoelaces had become undone and she had tripped, getting a mouthful of dust and a rather nasty gash on her leg.

And now her key wouldn't fit. "Is there some higher force that hates me today?" She felt like screaming. All she wanted was a nice, quick shower and then she wanted to bake some cookies. That always cheered her up. Maybe her aunt would even let her add a bit more sugar...

Her aunt.

And suddenly, the day got infinitely worse.

"Kh!..." All of a sudden Shiki felt a tremendous weight on her very core, sapping away at her strength. She slumped down on her knees in front of her old apartment door. _I'm not going to cry!_ It was getting hard to keep her eyes open. She sat there for a while, not moving.

"I thought you'd be here." Shiki jumped at the voice, startled.

"Who...?" Oh. It was Tsukishima, who had temporary custody of her while they sorted out all the legal issues in her aunt's will.

Of course, he was reading a book.

Silently, he walked over, shrugged off his coat and draped it around her shoulders, then gently but firmly took hold of her arm and led her to the next apartment door, where he lived. All while never once taking his eyes off his book.

Inside the small apartment, he led her to the worn-down but soft couch and sat her down, then sat down next to her and continued reading. Feeling as though the tears she'd cried out already had re-entered her body somehow, Shiki curled up tightly and began slowly rocking back and forth. This went on for a long time, Shiki's rocking gradually slowing down until she had unfurled and sat normally with her eyes closed, leaning against the couch.

Throughout the whole time Tsukishima hadn't said a word, and hadn't left her once, not even for food or the washroom.

Shiki slowly stood on still slightly wobbly legs and took off the coat.

"I'm going to take a shower." Tsukishima glanced up for the first time, nodded, then went back to his book. The shower felt wonderful. As the day's diet and sweat was washed off her she felt immensely refreshed. Drying herself off, she changed into her Doraemon pajamas. She remembered how embarrassed she had been when Tsukishima had first seen her wearing them and chuckled. She had quickly learned that appearances were one of the last things he cared about.

"Tsukishima-san?" Shiki walked into the living room. No response. "Tsukishima-san?" She walked over to the couch - he was still sitting there. When she reached his side, her eyes widened slightly. He was asleep! Tsukishima always went to bed after her and woke up before she got up, so she had never actually seen him asleep before.

Shiki walked around the couch to face him. She glanced at the discarded coat. Slowly, she reached across and picked up the coat, bringing it to her face. She placed it over her lower face, inhaling deeply. _What are you doing?_ Her mind screamed at her but she ignored it. She had stopped listening to it a while ago, when she had given up resisting him. _It smells like him..._ She thought, putting down the coat. She then glanced at Tsukishima again.

He looked the same as ever, mysterious and aloof. The only difference was the tiny, adorable (in her opinion) snores that came from him. She raised a hand hesitantly and brought it to rest the back of her fingers on his cheek, running down his face. She gently traced the scar above his eye. Then, slowly, she leaned forward, closing the distance between their faces...

_ OKAY THAT'S ENOUGH!_ Her mind screamed. She decided to listen. Sighing, she let her hand fall and pulled back her head.

"Shame. Your lips would have felt quite soft, I'm sure."

"Hiiiii!" Shiki jumped, startled. She looked up sharply. His eyes were open. Oh god... "How long..." A smirk.

"I was never asleep." Oh. Oh god.

"..." Shiki collapsed on the couch, curling up again. Great. She'd never be able to look him in the eye again. Tsukishima smiled knowingly and moved closer.

"It's fine." Huh. She'd been expecting something from those lines. "You never received the love of a true parent, nor have you had any romantic relations with anyone. Naturally when you feel love in any form, even slight care, you feel the need for more." Huh. Hadn't been expecting that. "From how you hesitated, I would assume you have yet to have your first kiss."

"..."

"From how long you stayed, however, I believe it's safe to say that you have... Stronger feelings for me." Wait, what? "You are still unsure of what exactly those feelings are, you only know what the feelings exist. Am I right?"

"..." A nod. How could she have been so careless?

"Heh." ... She could practically hear the smirk in this voice... Suddenly, she felt a hand nudge up her chin and an arm gently pull her across the couch so that she was pretty much straddling Tsukishima, one hand on his chest and the other on the couch.

"Wha?" Before she had the chance to even try to get away, he pulled her down sharply. Their eyes met briefly and Shiki forgot everything for a moment as she stared into his pitch black eyes. On closer look, they're actually a dark blue.. She realized. A split second later she felt something moist on her lips. _! He's- He's-_ He was kissing her.

It was a sweet, chaste kiss, their lips gently but firmly pressed against each other. Shiki's heartbeat had, during those few seconds, almost doubled in speed.

"Mmfff..." They slowly separated. Shiki immediately sprang back, as far as possible from him on the couch, hands on her mouth. Tsukishima simply smiled.

"WHAT ARE YOU-"

"What? It's what you wanted, right?"

"WHAT? No it's not-"

"A kiss doesn't necessarily mean romantic love, you know," he added matter-of-factly. "It's meant to symbolize love in general between the people involved. The kiss on the lips is more often used between lovers but doesn't have to mean that kind of love." He chuckled and returned to his book.

Shiki didn't know whether to feel better or worse. She calmed her racing heart down. But... A kiss between lovers, hmm?

"Then..." Tsukishima looked up. "What does a kiss between lovers feel like?" Oh god. Why was she asking things like that? And to him nonetheless! This wasn't like her!

"... Longer, for one," Tsukishima replied thoughtfully. "And deeper." Huh? Her confusion must have showed. Tsukishima smirked again. "Would you like to feel it for yourself?" He put down his book and beckoned Shiki over. He then gently cupped one of his hands under her chin and raised her face to his. He paused, looking into her eyes for permission to continue. Slowly she nodded.

He pulled her closer until their faces were nearly touching, noses brushing. "Close your eyes." She obliged. Shiki jumped slightly when she felt his lips on hers again, but Tsukishima had taken a firm grasp on her head. She made a slight sound of discontent when she felt him probing at her lips. She heard him sigh then started when he suddenly bit her lower lip.

"Ahh!" The next moment she felt something wet and moving enter her mouth and gasped sharply. "Hhmm!" He'd slipped his tongue into her mouth. Shiki wriggled around, but Tsukishima was too strong. Try as she might, she couldn't escape, or even turn her head away. She shuddered as the tongue explored her mouth, covering every inch, before joining with her own tongue. She slowly felt herself responding, loosening the hand that had been grabbing tightly on his shirt. Sometime during the kiss he had let go of her head and had begun to gently run his fingers through her hair.

They pulled apart, Shiki gasping for air, red and flustered while Tsukishima simply looked a bit disheveled.

"That..." Shiki didn't know what to say. Tsukishima merely picked up his coat and draped it around her, then pulled her over so that she was lying on his lap. He began to pet her head gently. Blushing, Shiki pulled the coat up to cover her cheeks, even though she doubted he could see. In a few minutes she was asleep.

The next morning Shiki woke up on the couch with Tsukishima's coat still draped over her. Tsukishima was awake, and judging from the sounds coming from the kitchen, he was cooking. Remembering the previous day's events, Shiki reddened, then sighed and smiled. He was right, after all. This was what I wanted. Tsukishima walked into the room with a tray containing a plate of tamagoyaki and a bowl of miso soup. He set down the tray on the coffee table in front of the ouch and sat down beside her, pausing to pat her on the head. Then he picked up a book and began reading.

. . .

Most people would have hugged her or said things like "It'll be okay, you'll be fine." But he had seen through that and saw that she simply needed someone's presence there, someone to reassure her that she wasn't alone.

He, who had known Shiki for only a month, had been able to understand her better than her five year friends.

OMAKE.

"Tsukishima-san? :/ "

"Hm? ^^ "

"... How do you know so much about kissing? -_-' "

"Books, of course. ^o^"

"Eeh, Tsukishima-san doesn't seem like the kind of person to read romance stories. o "

"I've read all the kinds of books there is to read, Sougi. Romance included. I've even read some yaoi manga. \^o^/"

"... O.o "

"Heh, just joking. I generally stay away from manga. The literature isn't rich enough. I have read romance books though. ^^ "

"... -_-' "

A/N

This came from a random flash scene I came up with in my head. I might write some more one-shots featuring the same OC (Shiki Souran), probably some AUs. Tsukishima will seem a bit more mellow than usual, since I adore fluff but he's just recently made an appearance and we can't determine his complete personality yet.


	2. Dog

2. Dog

Walking back from school Shiki finds an abandoned puppy. She takes it home but Tsukishima doesn't let her keep it. She goes around trying to find someone who will keep it. In the end Tsukishima drops the dog off in front of xcution's hideout. Ginjo finds it and Riruka offers to bring it home. Cannon, friendship

"Aw, it's so cute, look at the little thing!" A high-pitched female squeal caught fifteen-year old Shiki Sougi's attention. She turned and saw a group of girls crouched around a cardboard box. Her curiosity spiked and she walked over to see what all the fuss was about.

A puppy sat in a cardboard box on the side of the sidewalk. It had obviously been abandoned, if the "Take me home" scrawled on the side of the box was any indication.

"Oh, hey, Sougi-san!" one of the girls greeted her as she approached. "Look, look, isn't he such a sweetie?" She tapped the puppy's nose and it sneezed.

"I want to take it home, but I already have two dogs," one of the girls sighed. "If I take it home my mom will get really mad and make me bring it back."

"My apartment doesn't allow pets," another girl added.

"Hey, Sougi-san, could you take it home?" A girl suddenly asked.

Could I? Shiki wondered. I don't know Tsukishima-san's animal policies...

"Please, Sougi-san!" the girls begged. On second thought...

"Ah, it's best if I don't..."

"Sougi-san is the only one out of all of us that might have a chance. Just look at the poor thing!"

Urg...

"You wouldn't leave a poor little puppy like this all alone where it could get bullied by mean guys and pelted by rain, would you?"

"Kh! ... Fine, I'll try," Shiki gave in. Shifting her bag, she picked up the little puppy and headed home.

* * *

><p>"No." Bluntly, without room for discussion.<p>

"Eeeh? Why?"

"One of these days it will eventually destroy one of my books. My apartment isn't dog-proof."

"Can't you put them all in a room or something?"

"Why should I put so much effort into something for a mere dog?"

"Ugh... Fine, can we at least hang onto it until I find someone who can take care of it?"

"... Three days."

"EEEEHHHHH?"

"Woof!"

* * *

><p>"Eh, sorry, my brother's allergic."<p>

"Oh, I see, thanks anyways."

"My mom hates dogs, she'd flip."

"Ah, okay. Sorry for interrupting you."

"Are you kidding? It would shred every last one of my precious curtains!"

"It's not a cat... Never mind, forget I asked."

Shiki sighed, exasperated. It seemed that everyone had some reason to why they couldn't take the pup. No space, parents, allergies galore.

"It's just a little puppy, why does everyone make such a big fuss?" She hoisted the pup in her arms, bringing it to eye level.

"Arf?"

"Surely it can't be that bad..." She sighed again and headed home.

* * *

><p>"I'm back!" Shiki set the dog down and took off her jacket.<p>

Tsukishima gave the dog a long stare before answering, "Welcome home (As OOC as this may seem, in Japanese culture people always say "Tadaima" (I'm home) and "Okaeri" (Welcome home)). I'm assuming you didn't find anyone?" A shake of the head. "Well, the agreement still stands. Two more days, then he goes."

A nod. He turned back to his book. Shiki sighed. Maybe i shouldn't have tried to bring him back... She glanced at the dog, who was busy sniffing a potted plant. After all, I have no experience with pets, and I should have guessed that Tsukishima-san isn't an animal-lover. Sighing again, she picked up the dog and headed up the stairs. Might as well get started on that essay...

* * *

><p>"Sougi." Shiki jumped, startled. She'd been so caught up writing her essay she hadn't noticed him enter her room. He didn't look happy.<p>

"Yes...?" He held up a partially-torn book in one hand, the dog in the other. Bits of paper were sticking out of the puppy's mouth. "Oh..."

* * *

><p>Shiki felt like banging her head on her table. Very, very hard.<p>

The dog must have snuck out while I was doing my homework... Oh god, why did I agree to do this in the first place?

Tsukishima had put the dog in a box and announced that he was putting it out on the street and Shiki hadn't had the heart to try and stop him at the time. After all, he adored each and every one of his books, even if he didn't make an obvious show of it. He had been generous enough to risk his books for three days, a length of time in which a hyperactive pup could have completely laid waste to not only his books, but his definitely-for-sure-not-pet-proof apartment.

Besides, it wasn't as though she was getting anywhere with her attempts to find a home for the pup.

It would be better this way for all of them.

* * *

><p>Shiki woke up to the sound of rain on her window. Thunder crackled in the distance. Uuugh... So loud...! All of a sudden she jolted up into a sitting position, then scampered off her bed. The dog! Not bothering to change out of her pajamas and only stopping to grab a jacket and umbrella, she ran out the door.<p>

The poor pup was huddled in the cardboard box a few hundred meters away, shivering. The weather had gotten quite chilly, the wind howling as the trees bent and swayed. Another crack of thunder resounded, and the pup was practically crying.

Shiki knelt by the dog and put her umbrella over him, but the pup kept on shivering and whimpering. She took off her jacket and wrapped the little doggy in it, and it whined slightly but slowly stopped shivering. What to do, what to do? She couldn't take the dog back, even though she knew Tsukishima would probably let her. She still felt guilty for before. I guess I'll have to stay out here with him... She sighed and sat down beside the box. It'll be over soon... Then I can go back... Good thing tomorrow's sunday...

* * *

><p>When Tsukishima had woken up at his usual "ungodly hour" (to quote Shiki) to find Shiki's reishi not in the apartment, and a storm (or something close to it) raging outside, he immediately put two and two together and realized she had gone gone for the dog.<p>

"Silly girl..." He sat down at the couch with a book.

* * *

><p>Tsukishima glanced up at the clock. An hour had passed side he had woken up and Shiki still hadn't returned. He'd expected her to return with the dog and plead to let it stay the night, yet she had yet to show up. Getting lost wasn't an option... Could she really have...<p>

Tsukishima sighed and put down his book. How troublesome.

* * *

><p>"...et up...<p>

Huuuuh? Whaaat?

"... Get up..."

Wait... Isn't that...

"Hurry up, Sougi." Shiki snapped her eyes open.

"Eeeh? Tsukishima-san! What are you doing here?" She glanced down at herself, still in her pajamas, holding a very dirty puppy. "Wait... What am I... Oh. Ah. Right."

"..." Blank stare.

"... Sorry?" A sigh.

"Hurry up." Tsukishima tossed her a jacket. Scrambling, she caught it and slipped into it, then ran to catch up with Tsukishima, who had already turned around and begun walking.

"Um... I'm sorry about all this... Um..."

"Did you ever think that the dog might have been taken to a home already?"

"..." Shiki didn't respond for a moment. "Um... About the dog..."

Tsukishima remained silent, then-

"An old... acquaintance of mine will probably be able to keep it."

"Eeeh? Really? That's awesome! Thank you so much, Tsukishima-san!" Elated, Shiki held out the puppy in front of her. "Hear that? You're going to get a real home now!" she spun the confused pup around, laughing, then turned back to Tsukishima. "When can we drop him off, then? Can we go now?" Tsukishima was about to say no when he turned and saw her hopeful face. He paused for a moment.

"... Fine. But I'll go. You go back and make yourself more... presentable." He took the dog from her grasp and set off in another direction. Shiki stared at him for a while, before heading back to their apartment.

* * *

><p>"So? Did your acquaintance like him?"<p>

"Heh... I suppose you could say so. It certainly was entertaining."

"... What's that supposed to... Never mind."

* * *

><p>OMAKE.<p>

"Ow! Damned dog almost bit off my nose!" :T

"Stop over-reacting, Ginjo. It's just a little puppy." o

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's being attacked." DX

"... It's a puppy, Ginjo." -_-'

"It's a monster!" :0

"Oh, be quiet. You're scaring him. Isn't that right, Popo?" :D

"Hey, Riruka, don't feed- wait, what did you name it?" o.O

* * *

><p>AN That puppy-in-rain part was inspired by that scene in "Land of the Blindfolded" when they saved that little puppy ^^

I love my omakes. Don't you? XD emoticons ftw.


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